State Avenue nearly complete

After two years of being closed for reconstruction, State Avenue in Wyandotte County will re-open next month.

Fred Backus, Wyandotte County engineer overseeing construction of State Avenue for the Unified Government of Kansas City, Kan., and Wyandotte County, said, depending on the weather, he looking for a Nov. 1 opening date.

he project is going very well a majority of all the pavement has been placed,Backus said. here still quite a bit of miscellaneous work along the edge of the roads that needs to be completed.State Avenue was closed in November 1998, from 118th Street to Interstate 435, to prepare for the Kansas Speedway, Backus said.

he entire purpose of the project was of course to curve State Avenue around the Speedway site.

The new construction means that State Avenue no longer is a straight shot into Kansas City, Kan.

here a very large curve that takes State Avenue about a half-mile to the north,Backus said. nd then it curves back down to meet the old alignment.Five lanes take up the new part of State Avenue two lanes in each direction, and a center turn lane.

The opening of State Avenue should nearly coincide with the completion of Interstate 70 between 118th Street and I-435, Backus said.